Jet skier Max King: “I love the speed”

When you ask Max King what he loves most about jet skiing, his big smile is a dead giveaway. “I love the speed,” he says. “I love the adrenalin.”

For the past year, this 12-year-old from Belle River has been tearing up the jet skiing junior circuit. Pro Rider magazine refers to Max as “the next big thing in the sport.”

Max King, 12, holds his second-place trophy he won in the 10-12-year-old age group at the 2012 International Jet Sports Boating Association World Finals held in Arizona a few weeks back. (DAX MELMER / The Windsor Star)

A couple of weeks ago in Lake Havasu, Ariz., Max grabbed second in the 2012 International Jet Sports Boating Association World Finals for the 10-12 age group, finishing behind a racer from Brazil. For a small-town kid, it was a quite the feat considering Max was competing against racers from Japan, Thailand and Indonesia.

“Once I got there I was really nervous,” Max said. “We have a practice before the race and when I got to the lane I looked around and I thought I’m gonna get smoked. They all had these really expensive machines. Finally I thought I’m just gonna do my best.”

Up until a year ago, Max had never really thought about jet ski racing. He and his dad, Kevin, were at R & D Powersports in Belle River when they spotted an old Yamaha Superjet jet ski. They bought it, fixed it up and in July 2011, Max signed up for his first race in Belle River, part of the Canadian Watercross Association tour.

Max practised a bit and then headed off to the event, not sure what to expect. His first race, he said with a shy grin, didn’t go quite as he hoped. Nervously, he lined up for the race and gunned his machine before the elastic band, which serves as the start line, dropped.

“It was really scary. The band went around my neck and threw me back into the water,” he said, showing the spot where there’s still a faint mark.

After tips from some of the other racers, including racing great Rob Flores, he was back at the start line ready to go. And it was quite the summer for Max as he travelled around competing in races and racking up the wins. In fact, Max is now sponsored by R & D Powersports, Amy Green, Fly Racing, Sims Racing and Freedom 55 Financial.

Kevin admits at the beginning he was worried about his son riding a machine at speeds of up to 65 km/h, crashing through the waves and steering around buoys on a course. But he said Max wears a helmet, wet suit and a personal flotation device every time he’s on the machine.

“At first we were really nervous,” Kevin said. ” We made him a closed course with buoys to go around in the lake and he knows there are rules he has to follow.”

Kevin is very proud of Max’s success in jet skiing, but says he was a little surprised at exactly how great he’s doing. Max has quickly become one of the top juniors.

“When he raced last year and won in Belle River it was really exciting,” Kevin said. “There were some pros at the race and I never really thought he’d do that well. But he did amazing.”

Max, who also plays hockey and rides dirt bikes, said there is another plus to jet ski racing.

“I’ve always thought it is the most fun. And if you fall off, you fall into the water, so it doesn’t really hurt. I love the excitement. When I race, before we start it’s nerve-wracking but when I get going, it’s a great feeling.”

Since that first race, Max has upgraded his machine and now rides a Kawaski SXR 800. He’s already looking forward to the coming season, but knows if he wants to remain a future threat in the sport there is one thing he must do.

“I’m just going to keep practising,” Max said. “I’m going to get out on the lake five days a week and take every corner as hard and tight as I can, whenever I can.”

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